Is Your Boss Spying on You? The NLRB Can Stop It!

An unnoticed coworker joined employees in their temporary home offices as the pandemic introduced a new area of remote work - digital monitoring tools put up by managers. Technology for workplace surveillance is more widespread than ever, but the government just made a suggestion that it might step in. Additionally, this week, the head attorney for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared her intention to pressure the employment authority to take immediate action to safeguard workers from monitoring and tracking. Jennifer Abruzzo, general counsel of the NLRB, stated in a memo, "Close, constant surveillance and management through electronic means threaten employees’ basic ability to exercise their rights. I plan to urge the Board to apply the Act to protect employees, to the greatest extent possible, from intrusive or abusive electronic monitoring and automated management practices.” [caption id="attachment_58793" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: entrepreneur[/caption] Furthermore, Abruzzo's main concern is how surveillance obstructs workers' rights to engage in union organizing. The NLRB previously decided that some tracking practices, such as surveillance that raises the prospect of retaliation for union activity, are already unlawful. Besides, cannot monitor some organizational efforts. However, Abruzzo contends that the NLRB must take more action since simply the worry about potential surveillance might limit workers' rights.

What's more

Abruzzo's proposal would require companies to disclose when and how they are monitoring workers, in addition to using established law to punish employers for surveillance that is already prohibited. In addition, employers would have to defend the need for surveillance in terms of legitimate business requirements and detail how the tracking would be constrained to meet those requirements. [caption id="attachment_58794" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: myfonemate[/caption] Moreover, beyond what is required to safeguard legal rights, such a method would probably assist protect employee privacy. Besides, knowing you're being watched makes it simpler to defend yourself. Also, Read: “CONVINCE YOUR BOSS” To allow You Remote Work Forever in 4 Steps Additionally, union-busting activities already involve workplace surveillance. According to Newsweek, Google has a system to automatically monitor meetings of more than 100 employees, and both Amazon and Walmart have employed technology to obstruct planning. [caption id="attachment_58795" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: workitdaily[/caption] According to Abruzzo, the NLRB should simply intervene to enforce the laws as they currently stand rather than try to create a new framework for these behaviors. The spokesperson claimed, "Under settled Board law, numerous practices employers may engage in using new surveillance and management technologies are already unlawful."